Image of career: Avian Keeper

Avian Keeper

Overview

Avian keepers are dedicated animal care experts who feed, train, and protect exotic bird species while maintaining big immersive flight habitats.

Description

  • Prepare highly specific, nutritionally balanced diets for hundreds of different bird species.
  • Monitor the physical health and complex social behaviours of flocks.
  • Maintain cleanliness and vegetation of the big immersive free-flight aviaries.
  • Train birds using positive reinforcement techniques.
  • Educate park guests during live feeding sessions and guided tours.

Entry requirements

  • You’ll need a Diploma or Degree in Life Sciences, Zoology, Veterinary Biosciences, or Animal Management.
  • You'll need strong physical fitness and ability to work comfortably outdoors in extreme weather. Prior volunteer or internship experience working hands-on with animals is highly advantageous.

Salary

$2,000 – 3,200

/mo

Salary ranges are estimated based on public information found on Singaporean job portals, including MyCareersFuture, MySkillsFuture. Updated as of 2026.

Trivia

You might use tiny tweezers to hand-feed delicate chicks that weigh less than a 50-cent coin every two hours, monitoring their progress in high-tech incubators.

What to expect

Preparing raw animal feed and cleaning big amounts of bird droppings is a daily routine. Build lots of physical stamina and patience. Birds are intelligent and stubborn.

Soft
skills

Sharp Observational Skills

Possess a keen eye to spot a single bird acting slightly abnormal within a massive flock.

Physical and Mental Resilience

Able to weather Singapore's humidity and sudden tropical storms, plus the emotional demands of managing hand-reared chicks.

Engaging Public Speaking

Able to deliver interesting “keeper talks” about complex bird biology and information that inspire guests to care about conservation.

Scientific Record-Keeping and Data Analysis

Familiar with using systems like ZIMS to record precise daily metrics like weights, eating patterns, and health trends.

Advanced Breeding and Incubation Techniques

Trained to operate digital incubation systems and egg monitors to track real-time heart rates and embryo health.

Positive Reinforcement Training Methods

Skilled in training birds and shape their behvaiour.

Hard
skills

Nara, Avian Keeper
"I enjoy coming to work to take care of our birds the best we can. We have to be there for the animals."

Nara, Avian Keeper

Mothership

Frequently asked questions

While regular zookeepers might rotate between lions, elephants, and reptiles, avian keepers are bird specialists. You focus on the unique biology, fragile hollow-bone structures, and complex flight behaviours of birds.

Because birds live in complex ecosystems, avian keepers must understand the plants in their exhibits. You'll spend time ensuring perching is safe and that local flora mimics birds' natural habitats like the Amazon or African Savanna, providing both food and nesting materials.

It may be. You'll work with massive raptors like eagles and vultures that have razor-sharp talons, or large ratites like cassowaries and ostriches that can cause serious injury. Strict safety protocols and specialised training are mandatory.

Birds are masters at hiding illness - a survival trait in the wild. You have to meticulously monitor eating patterns, behaviour, and even feather gloss. Spotting a 1% change in behaviour may be the difference between a healthy bird and a medical emergency.

Yes, but it's very hard work. It requires feeding them with a syringe every two hours, monitoring exact incubator temperatures, and ensuring they don't imprint on humans instead of their own species.